In a quiet section of the Burlington, N.J., historic district stands a modest, two-story house; in front is a sign that states it was the home of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant during the latter days of the Civil War. What it doesn’t mention is the important role the house played in the death of one president and the survival of another.

When Grant came east to command the Army of the Potomac after his victory at Vicksburg, his family settled into the quiet New Jersey town.